Welcome back to Science Fair, Bwog’s weekly roundup of science events happening around campus. As always, email braner@bwog.com if you want your event featured. Also, get your flu shot!

Evaluating Urban Issues of Climate Change

  • Tuesday, October 26, 2021, 6 to 7 pm
  • Online event, link here
  • “As part of the Barnard Year of Science, Barnard Alumnae Relations and the Project Continuum Committee of the Alumnae Association of Barnard College invite you to join us in an exploration of the basic trends in climate change—focusing on their impact on cities in the United States—and possible solutions moving forward.”

Sustain What? Avoiding Climate Disaster: A Discussion with Noam Chomsky, Belinda Archibong, Jeff Schlegelmilch

  • Wednesday, October 27, 2021 4 to 5 pm
  • Online event, link here
  • “Drawing on insights from his book Climate Crisis and the Global Green New Deal, our featured guest, Professor Noam Chomsky, will explore paths to climate progress on an overheating and starkly unequal planet with fresh assessments from Columbia Climate School’s Jeff Schlegelmilch, director of the National Center for Disaster Preparedness and Dr. Belinda Archibong, a Barnard College economist focused on African development and perspectives on climate and energy policy. The session will be hosted by longtime climate journalist Andy Revkin, the founding director of the Initiative on Communication & Sustainability of the Columbia Climate School. Student nominated representatives from Teachers College will have an opportunity to engage the panel with their questions on climate action and learning.”

COVID-19 & Substance Use in NYS: Policy & Service Delivery

  • Thursday, October 28, 2021 4 to 5 pm
  • Online event, link here
  • “COVID-19 has intensified the already unprecedented overdose crisis in the U.S., with preliminary SAMHSA data showing a 30% increase in overdoses between 2019 and 2020. Other research has reported negative health outcomes related to substance use and COVID-19 including increased alcohol use, elevated positive substance use screens and patients with substance use disorder (SUD) presenting in acute medical settings, and elevated risk for COVID and of adverse COVID outcomes among people with SUD, and illumination of the effects of structural racism related to COVID outcomes, especially among Black and American Indian/Alaska Native communities. At the onset of the pandemic, in response to the need for COVID mitigation strategies, federal SUD treatment regulations were modified to ensure continued access to services, including flexible telehealth processes and extended prescriptions for buprenorphine and methadone. This seminar presents emerging research from New York State focused on the intersection of COVID-19 and substance use highlighting the relationship of behavioral health and SUD, policymaker perceptions of communication with providers regarding regulatory changes, successes and challenges to the implementation of SUD regulatory changes and impact on health equity, and overall access to SUD services. Speakers will focus on policy and service delivery implications informed by these new findings.”

image via Shane Maughn